Who are the best wide receivers coming into the 2019 college football season? Here are the 2019 CFN All-America wide receivers and 30 top players.
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– CFN Preview 2019: All 130 Team Previews
2019 CFN Preseason All-America Wide Receivers
Who are the best receivers coming into the 2019 college football season? Based on projections for this year – and not necessarily based on pro talent and potential ….
Honorable Mention All-Americans
30. Juwan Johnson, Sr. Oregon
He’s 6-4, 225 pounds, fast, and is about to rip it up in Eugene after transferring over from Penn State. He caught 25 passes for 352 yards and a score last season for the Nittany Lions – and made only two touchdown grabs in his career – but watch out for him to become a superstar target for Justin Herbert.
– 2019 Oregon Preview
29. Quartney Davis, Jr. Texas A&M
He’s not alone, the 6-0, 201-pound junior joins Jhamon Austin – and others – in a terrific-looking receiving corps. Davis caught 45 passes for 585 yards and seven touchdowns, but he’s about to have a giant season in the improved offense.
– 2019 Texas A&M Preview
28. KJ Hamler, Jr. Penn State
Can Penn State get good enough quarterback play to utilize its speedy star? The 5-9, 168-pounder is a killer on kickoff returns, and he led the team with 42 catches for 754 yards and five scores – averaging 18 yards per grab. He’s got the talent to do a whole lot more.
– 2019 Penn State Preview
27. Jaylen Waddle, Soph. Alabama
All he had to do was try to break through as a true freshman in an already loaded receiving corps. The 5-10, 182-pound bolt of lightning was good for a few catches game, and he ripped it up whenever he got his chances averaging close to 19 yards per catch with seven scores. He’s not bad for a No. 3 target.
– 2019 Alabama Preview
26. Theo Howard, Sr. UCLA
Can Howard do more with steadier quarterback play and a more experienced team? He did a nice job earlier in his career when Josh Rosen was under center, and last season he was solid with 51 catches for 677 yards and four scores. The talent is there to do a whole lot more.
– 2019 UCLA Preview
25. Denzel Mims, Sr. Baylor
The Baylor offense is loaded with great receiving talent, and it’ll start with the 6-3, 210-pound Mims after catching 55 passes for 794 yards an eight scores. He’s a big, strong target who can hit the home run.
– 2019 Baylor Preview
24. Rico Bussey, Sr. North Texas
Who gets to be the guy who gets all the work from Mason Fine and the high-powered Mean Green offense? It’s the 6-2 veteran who averaged 15 yards per catch with six 100-yard games and 12 touchdowns on his 68 catches.
– 2019 North Texas Preview
23. Jeff Thomas, Jr. Miami
He was off to Illinois, Manny Diaz took over the gig, and he came back to the program. Thomas only caught 35 passes for 563 yards and three scores, but the passing game should be stronger, he’ll be used even more as a field stretcher, and he’ll be the one who makes defenses worry.
– 2019 Miami Preview
22. Kalija Lipscomb, Jr. Vanderbilt
It’s going to be hard to get a whole lot of love in an SEC loaded with all the great Alabama receivers – among others – but the 6-1, 201-pounder is a tough, reliable target who led the team with 87 catches for 916 yards and nine scores. He might not be all that explosive, but he’ll catch everything.
– 2019 Vanderbilt Preview
21. KJ Hill, Sr. Ohio State
The new go-to guy for a depleted receiving corps – relatively speaking – the 6-0, 195-pounder might not have the flash of some of the other Buckeye targets, but he’ll do all the dirty work coming off a 68-catch, 865-yard, six-score season.
– 2019 Ohio State Preview
20. Adrian Hardy, Jr. Louisiana Tech
The 6-2, 193-pounder went from being a decent part of the puzzle to a killer No. 1 guy, catching 75 passes for 1,145 yards and six touchdowns, highlighted by a ten-catch, 181-yard, two score day against LSU. Best of all, he did that with a mediocre Louisiana Tech offense that should be a whole lot better.
– 2019 Louisiana Tech Preview
19. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Soph. USC
The super-recruit had a strong freshman season considering how mediocre the team was, leading the team with 60 catches for 750 yards and three scores. In the new-look offense – and with Michael Pittman and other great receivers there to take the pressure off – St. Brown could be one of the nation’s biggest breakout stars.
– 2019 USC Preview
18. Damonte Coxie, Jr. Memphis
Oh yeah, there’s a good passing game to go along with the high-powered running attack, too. The 6-3, 200-pounder caught 72 passes for 1,174 yards and seven scores, doing a good job to come up with big games as well as be a consistently steady main target. He’ll be amazing again with QB Brady White throwing him the ball.
– 2019 Memphis Preview
17. Justin Jefferson, Jr. LSU
The LSU offense needed a No. 1 target, and the 6-2, 185-pounder was just that, leading the team with 54 catches – more than double of the No. 2 man – for 875 yards and six scores, averaging over 16 yards per catch. With his size, speed, and veteran QB Joe Burrow getting him the ball, he’ll be great in an SEC loaded with excellent receivers.
– 2019 LSU Preview
16. Michael Pittman, Sr. USC
It’s all there to go from good to amazing. The hope is for QB JT Daniels to be better as a sophomore, the offense is going to start throwing under OC Graham Harrell, and Pittman has the 6-4, 225-pound size and talent to be the No. 1 guy in a loaded receiving corps. He averaged close to 19 yards per catch on 41 grabs with six scores, but now he has to blow up. He will.
– 2019 USC Preview
15. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jr. Michigan
Just wait to see what he can do in the new-look offense that’s going to wing the ball around the yard a bit more. The former super-recruit is coming into his own coming off a 47-catch season with 612 yards and eight scores. He’s just scratching the surface.
– 2019 Michigan Preview
14. Marquez Stevenson, Jr. Houston
Oh will this be fun. Stevenson had a good season with 75 catches for 1,019 yards and nine scores, ran for two touchdowns, and was good as a kick returner. Now he gets D’Eriq King back at quarterback to go along with new head coach Dana Holgorsen.
– 2019 Houston Preview
13. Henry Ruggs, Jr. Alabama
His only real negative is that he’s not Jerry Jeudy. The 6-0, 190-pound Ruggs caught 46 passes for 741 yards and 11 scores, averaging over 16 yards per play. Put him on special teams, get him the ball on the move, or make him the No. 1 target. He’ll produce whenever he gets his chances.
– 2019 Alabama Preview
12. James Proche, Sr. SMU
This should be interesting with Texas transfer Shane Buechele getting him the ball. The 5-11, 190-pound speedster caught 93 passes for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns last season the Sonny Dykes offense, but with the new QB, look out.
– 2019 SMU Preview
11. Tyler Johnson, Sr. Minnesota
All that’s missing is a great quarterback to get him the ball. The 6-2, 200-pound local product turned into a Big Ten star on a running team, catching 78 passes for 1,169 yards and 12 scores, averaging 15 yards per catch. The NFL types have noticed.
– 2019 Minnesota Preview
NEXT: 2019 Preseason Top Ten Wide Receivers
10. Collin Johnson, Sr. Texas
On upside and pro potential, go ahead and put him a whole lot higher than this. The 6-6, 220-pounder has speed, experience, and the talent to blow up as Sam Ehlinger’s No. 1 guy. He caught 68 passes for 985 yards and seven scores, and now he should be an even bigger volume catcher.
– 2019 Texas Preview
9. Jalen Reagor, Jr. TCU
He’s the weapon every offensive coordinator dreams about having in the arsenal. The 5-11, 195-pounder did everything he could to save a brutal TCU offense, catching 72 passes for 1,061 yards and nine scores, running for two scores, and dominating whenever used as a kick returner.
– 2019 TCU Preview
8. Bryan Edwards, Sr. South Carolina
It’s hard to get a whole lot of attention in a state with all that NFL receiving talent at Clemson, but the 6-3, 215-pound Edwards is special, too. He caught 55 passes for 846 yards and seven scores, and he’s quick enough to be used as a punt returner, too.
– 2019 South Carolina Preview
7. Justyn Ross, Soph. Clemson
That Trevor Lawrence guy had a decent true freshman season, but it helped that Mr. Ross signed on, too. The sky’s the limit for the 6-4, 205-pounder who catgut 46 passes for 1,000 yards and nine scores, averaging close to 22 yards per catch and destroying the College Football Playoff with 12 catches for 301 yards and three scores in the two games.
– 2019 Clemson Preview
CFN Third Team All-America Receivers
6. Tylan Wallace, Jr. Oklahoma State
All the 6-0, 185-pounder did was finish second in the nation in receiving yards catching 88 passes for 1,410 yards and nine scores, averaging over 16 yards per catch. Lightning quick as a possible punt returner, and devastating enough to hit both Texas and Oklahoma for 220 yards – 222 against UT – he went from reserve to stardom in a hurry.
– 2019 Oklahoma State Preview
5. Rondale Moore, Soph. Purdue
He didn’t win the Biletnikoff, but the 5-9, 175-pounder was arguably the best receiver in college football. As a true freshman, he busted out with 114 catches for 1,258 yards and 12 scores, ran for two touchdowns, and he crushed it as a kick returner. Expect a whole lot more of the same.
– 2019 Purdue Preview
CFN Second Team All-America Receivers
4. Tee Higgins, Jr., Clemson
There was promise from the former five-star get as a freshman, and then everything clicked as a sophomore catching 59 passes for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 6-4, 205-pounder is the rare – could’ve-turned-pro-out-of-high-school talent, and he’ll be top 20 overall pick next year.
– 2019 Clemson Preview
3. CeeDee Lamb, Jr. Oklahoma
Hollywood Brown might have been the flashy star, but the 6-2, 189-pound junior has averaged close to 18 yards per catch for his career with the speed and the deep play ability of Brown – and he’s bigger. Ultra-quick, he’ll put up massive numbers as Jalen Hurts’ main man.
– 2019 Oklahoma Preview
CFN First Team All-America Receivers
2. Laviska Shenault, Jr. Colorado
He would’ve been a lock for the Biletnikoff – and in the hunt for the Heisman – had he been able to stay healthy. Even though he missed three games and was banged up in a few others, he still finished fourth in the nation in yards per game – averaging 112 per outing – making 86 grabs for 1,011 yards and six scores. He ran for five touchdowns, too. The 6-2, 225-pounder should blow up again with QB Steven Montez back getting him the ball.
– 2019 Colorado Preview
1. Jerry Jeudy, Jr. Alabama
Just imagine what his statistics would’ve been if he wasn’t in the same receiving corps with a slew of other NFL receiving talents. The 6-1, 192-pounder won the Biletnikoff as the nation’s top receiver, averaging over 19 yards per catch with 68 grabs for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns. Devastating however he gets the ball in his hands, he can come up with big yards after the catch, make the deep play, and do everything in between.
– 2019 Alabama Preview
